Eiichiro Oda

(b. 1 January 1975, Japan)

Born in Kumamoto, Eiichiro Oda began his professional career as a manga artist at the age of 17, when he started his serial 'Wanted'. It received the Tezuka Award. He then made one shots like 'Kami kara mirai no Present' ('Gift of God') and 'Ikki Yakou', before his talent was noted by the team of the Weekly Jump. He ended his education in 1994, and became Nobuhiro Watsuki's assistant on 'Rurouni Kenshin'.

During this period, he also set up two one shots ('Monsters', 'Romance Dawn') which eventually became his extremely popular serial 'One Piece', published in Shonen Jump from 1997. Translated in among others English, German, Italian, Chinese, Spanish and French, Oda's Fun & Action manga has also been made into a successful anime series. Oda and Akira Toriyama have made a one shot called 'Cross Epoch' containing characters from Toriyama's 'Dragon Ball' and Oda's 'One Piece'.

He is married to Chiaki Inaba, who plays the role of Nami in the Jump Festa 'One Piece' performances.